A variety of common electrical devices emit and capture radiation. A cellular telephone, for example, emits and/or captures RF radiation with the transmission and reception of communications. Similarly, portable radio transmitter-receivers, such as walkie-talkies, also emit and capture RF radiation as a part of their transmission and reception of data, voice, or other communications.
Although the scientific community is not unified in an agreement that exposure to the radio frequency electromagnetic emissions produced by wireless communicators is harmful to human health, some studies have produced results indicating this may be the case. Most of these studies have focused on possible brain damage, brain cancer, or other neurological effects that may result from such emissions, especially emissions that originate adjacent the human head and brain.
The level of radiation emitted by a portable wireless device and absorbed by a human operator is regulated in the United States by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and in other countries by similar agencies. The FCC, for example, requires manufacturers of wireless devices measure RF emissions using equipment that is designed to determine the amount of radiation that may be absorbed by a human user. A device which causes a human body to absorb more RF radiation than is allowed by FCC regulations pertaining to that class of device cannot be sold in the USA until it is modified such that it causes an absorption of no more than the maximum regulated amount.
As a result of the equivocal studies regarding the health risk of cellular and other wireless devices, and the knowledge that government regulatory agencies recognize some levels of emissions or absorptions to be disallowed because of safety concerns, some users of wireless communication devices have become concerned that there could be a health risk associated with their long-term use of these devices which emit RF radiation. Any technology that could reduce absorption of RF radiation by a user would be a welcome technological advance to help minimize the potential variety of potential health concerns.
In the prior art, various headsets have been utilized with wireless devices. Headsets typically include a microphone and an earphone and are usually held in place either by means of a flexible band over the head, by using a clip which attaches over the ear, or are placed inside the opening of the ear and held in place with friction or by means of their shape. Headsets typically connect to the wireless device by means of a cable containing two or more conductive wires.
Headsets have been utilized by wireless users who wish to reduce their cranial exposure to RF radiation. Since use of a headset allows the wireless device and its antenna to be placed at a distance from the user's head, it would seem likely that its use would reduce the amount of RF radiation transmitted to the head. Unfortunately, some recent studies have found that headsets may not always reduce cranial RF radiation exposure, but may either have little effect or, in some cases, increase it.
According to one theory, the level of exposure is maintained or increased due in part to the conductive wires, which connect the headset and the wireless device. These wires can unintentionally function as an antenna, which absorbs some of the radiation emitted by the wireless device and transfers radiation through the headset and adjacent the human head and brain. Additionally, the wireless device may also incorporate a defect that inadvertently transfers radiation from the wireless device and/or antenna through the conductive wires of a headset and thereby inadvertently increase the potential level of exposure to the users head.
Therefore a conventional headset is not entirely effective at reducing the potential level of radiation exposure and there remains a need for a system, apparatus, and method for reducing radiation exposure that may be transferred by the conductive wires. What is needed is an ability to reduce the potential level of exposure to the users that overcomes the above and other disadvantages of known headsets and wireless devices.